Nuclear Matter at High Densities - Elucidating the Properties of Hadronic Resonances in the Nuclear Medium

The Hadron and Nuclear Physics group at the University of York is looking for a bright and enthusiastic PhD student to explore “Nuclear Matter at High Densities”, utilizing intense photon beam and Crystal Ball detector at Mainz MAMI facility. The main goal of the PhD would be elucidating the properties of hadronic resonances in the nuclear medium. Of particular importance is constraining the interaction of the recently discovered d^* (2380) hexaquark. It was recently indicated that this new particle sets a limit on achievable neutron star masses, plays a key role in the dynamics of neutron star merger events (including resultant gravitational wave emission) and may act as an important intermediate step in nuclear to quark-gluon plasma transition in nuclear matter. To advance these exciting studies it is crucial to constrain the basic properties of the d^* (2380) in-medium.
The PhD student would enable the extraction of in-medium properties of the d^* (2380) by measuring its production rates on various nuclei – from deuterium to lead. He/she also would construct an active deuteron target (3-4 months project), where the capability to detect the low energy recoiling deuterons from the hexaquark decay enables the cleanest possible d^* (2380) measurement and sets the groundwork for a future “d^* (2380)-factory”. This PhD work has exciting potential for high impact publications and interdisciplinary links to a wide variety of fields (astrophysics, particle physics, astronomy, gravitational wave detection).